Compensator



June 11, 1935.

c. 1;. wYRlcK COMPENSATOR Filed April 18, 1934 il 9 1,511 1o 91s take =up additional clearance. 1

Other `objects andV advantages either, directly Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT oFI-1cEH- `This invention relates to compensators for wear and lost motion and particularly to devices for automatically regulating clearance between relatively moving parts.

A further object is to provide a compensator which-will establish and maintain predetermined limits of clearance of play between two relatively moving parts.

In carrying my invention into effect I provide two side by side cam members and a control member with one cam member relatively movable with respect to the other and with respect to the control member. It is an object tok employ the two cam members to serve the space lling requirements as wear occurs and tov provide a power spring having one end attached to one of the cam members and its other end attached tothe other to rotate the one on the other for the purpose of increasing their joint-thickness.

`Another object is 4toV provide a master cam, a control washer non-rotatable with respect to the master cam, a gauge cam between the master cam i and the control washer and rotatable with respect thereto, and to provide preload spring means operable to urge saidrnaster camand said control washer in clearance establishing position but entirely free of said gauge cam so that sensitiveness -to relative rotation thereof `is obtained'. 1

Another object is to provide a spacer springY between the gauge cam and the control washer in orderV that all clearance in the `compensator may be transferred therebetween rather than between the two cam surfaces.

A further object is to `provide a recess in the Y gauge cam at jasnitable point for receiving this spacer spring when the compensator is wound up by tensioning the power' spring between the i cam members so that assembly of thecompen- Vsailor.'adjacent a ro-ller. bearing, for instance, fmerely entails placement of the compensator without any pre-tensioning by a purchaser'.

Another object is to provide a gauge pin which may be suitably placed adjacent the spacer spring and carried by the gaugeA cam, the pin being spring-pressed .with a ,retaining means limiting .the exposed length thereof toa predetermined amount. The exposed length oi this pin determines the amount of clearance possible in the compensator before rotation Yof thegauge c am to described or indirectly implied from the favorable arrangement of` parts will become hereinafter .fmoreiullyapparent as referenceVV isl had to ithe Y,themembers 2` and "I in an amount three thousandths :ofan inch'will result in clearaccompan'ying drawingwherein myinvention is illustratedby wayof example and in which Figure 1 is an elevation of; thebottom of improved cornpensatoras shown in Figure y2` with a portion of the control washer broken away, i,

Figure 2 is a side view ofthe compensator, that is, looking at it radially, Y

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3-.3 ofl Figure l, i n 5' A Figure 4 is an enlarged detail takenalong the 9 line 4--4 of Figure 1, i

FigureV 5 is anenlarged vertical section taken along the line 5--5 of Figure l, and l Figure 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic illustration ofan installation of my improved compensa- 1,5

. tor and a ,roller bearing.

More particularly, l` indicates the master .Gam member formed with a planar upper surface and an inner surface or face which is uniformlyinclined throughout substantially theientire .360 20 to constitute a cam. AThe control cam.member has one surface 'inclined similarly tothe lower face of the'membe'r I Vfor operating residence 'thereagainst so that asthe cam members ,l and 2 are rotated on eachother theirjoint thickness is increased tor decreased. *For purposes of caus- ,ingA such rotation, these members are provided with .OplJQsed grooves `3 which form a channel for a power spring 4. The spring 4 is anchored at one end toa pin 5` integral with the member I and at its other end to a pin 6VV integral with the member 2.` This spring 4 urges the members I and 2 inrjoint thickness-increasing travel.

' Residing against the lower or planar` face of the control cam member 2 is a control washer `I havi5 ing a plurality rof serrations 8 or notches milled `or, otherwise formed in. its inner surface. `Cooperatingwith these serrations 8 is a control pin 9. The control member 2 is provided with an arcuatelgroove I0 having a well II penetrating 40 the member 2, .thewell II-serving as aV guidefor the control or gauge pin 9. `A spring I-2 urges the pin 9 outwardly'of its hole to an amount permittedby the setting ofthe set screw I3 which pro- I jeeps radiauy through; .the Control member z. it"

`Thus if the set screw I3 adjusted to permit the controlpin `9 to project outwardlyof the member 2 `by, say `three thousandths of, an` inch las the members 2 andf'I separate, further. separation of greater than' 'ance between the .endof `the .pin 9 and the serrations whereupon .the power spring 4 will cause relative rotation of the control cam 2 and the master ucam I `by an amount sufficient to cause'the pin 9 the compensator.

and serrations 8 to engage thereby reducing the clearance to the predetermined three thousandths of an inch, chosen in the example.

In order that the control cam may be entirely free, that is, highly sensitive, I provide a plurality of pre-load springs between the master cam and the control washer which act entirely independently of contact withy the control washer as will now bev described. The master cam member E is formed with a cylindrical extension Hi integral with its inner periphery. This extension it acts as a centering means for the control cam and is reduced in diametric thickness at its outer end to form a centering means also for the control washer 1. The extension M has a multiplicity of wells therein each of which receives a small pre-load spring i5 which is preferably equipped with a pad 22 and which acts against the control washer 1.

The pre-load springs transfer all clearance into Thus, in Figure 6, if there is clearance between the rollers H5 and the races il `the-preload springs cause relative movement of the races il for adjustment, employing a preload pressure suitable for'the work as may be predetermined by varying the number and/ or strength of the pre-load springs E5; After transferring the clearance into the compensator it then becomes the function of a spring i8 between the members V2 and 'I to maintain the cam surfaces of the members i and 2 in constant contact so thatall clearance will necessarily appear between the members 2 and l. The control or gauge pin 9 is thereby in complete control of the time of and amount of relative travel between the cam surfaces.

The spring I3 may be suitably carried by the member 2 for contact with the member It has one end extensible through the member 2 so that when the compensator is wound up for installation, the end of this spring drops into a well it! in the Ymember l maintaining the wound up relation. ...The pin 9 is always set for some finite amount of constant clearance so that with the compensator in wound up locked position all that Vis necessary to release the spring i8 from its well l I9 is simply to squeeze the compensator as the last act of the installation. This nal squeezing i by the hand of the operator causes the member 'l .to pressagainst the'end of the spring in contact ,therewith thereby pulling the other end out of the y againstrelative rotation lock pins 2i? integral with .the extension lll fit into slots 2i formed in the control member l.

, VVarious changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and I therefore desire to be extended protection as defined by the scope of the appended claims:

. What I claim is:

1. vA clearance regulator comprising two parts Vrelatively movable with respect to a third part to take up clearance, means urging said two parts and said third part in a clearance take-up movement, and Y means including a ribbed surface formed on one of said members and a rib engaging pin carried by another of said members'for automatically maintaining maximum and minimum limits of clearance established by said regulator.

2, .A clearance regulator comprising two members fixed against relative rotation and a third member therebetween rotatable with respect thereto, spring means connected at one end to one of said two members and at its other end to said third member for urging said two parts and said third part in a clearance take-up movement, and means including a ribbed surface formed on one of said members and a rib engaging pin carried by another of said members for automatically maintaining maximum and minimum limits of clearance established by said regulator.

3. vA clearance regulator comprising two members fixed against relative rotation and a third member therebetween rotatable with respect thereto, preload spring means urging said two members away from each other, means for urging said members in a clearance take-up movement, and means including a ribbed surface formed on one of said members and a rib engagmg pin carried by another of said members for automatically maintaining maximum and minimum limits of clearance as established by said regulator.

4. A clearance regulator comprising two members xed against relative rotation and a third member therebetween rotatable with respect thereto, preload spring means free of said third member directly urging said two members apart, spring means for urging said two members Vand said third member in a clearance take-up movement, and means Vincluding a ribbed surface formed on one of said members and a rib engaging, pin carried by another of said members for maintaining maximum and minimum limits of clearance established by said regulator.

5. A clearance regulator comprising two members fixed against relative rotation and a third member therebetween rotatable with'Y respect thereto, a multiplicity of small preload coil springs carried by one of said two members and pressing directly against the other of said two members to transfer all clearance therebetween, means including a ribbed surface formed on one of said members and a rib-engaging pin carried by another of said members for rotating-said third member to take up said clearance, -and means for maintaining maximum and minimum limits of clearance between said two members.

6. A clearance regulator comprising two circular members, one of'said members having a cylindrical portion at its inner circumference integral therewith of greater length than the thickness of the main body of the ring, said cylindrical portion serving as a positioning means for centering the other of said members when assembled thereon, key pins integral with said cylindrical portion for entering slots in said other member whereby said members are non-rotatable with respect to each other; said cylindrical portion having'a multiplicity' of wells therein each receiving a spring means for abutment against said other member near its inner periphery, av third member between said two members` freely rotatable with respect thereto and having an inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of said cylindrical 'portion thereby residing free of said spring means, a power spring having one end connected to one of Vsaid two members and its other end connected to said third'member' 7. The combination as set forthY in claim 6 to- 7 fio gether with means for maintaining predetermined maximum and minimum limits of clearance between said two members.

8. A clearance regulator comprising two circular members, one of said members having a cylindrical portion integral therewith, said portiony having a multiplicity of wells therein each receiving a coil preload spring, key pins projecting from said portion, a second cylindrical portion integral with and extending outwardly of the rst named cylindrical portion constituting a centering means for the other of said members,

said other member overlying said preload springs and having slots therein to receive said key pins to x said members against relative rotation, a-

third member between said two members, the rst named cylindrical portion constituting `a hub about which said third member is relatively rotatable, means for rotating said third memmember, means for urging said third member and said rst cam member in clearance establishing movement, and means including a ribbed surface formed on one of said members and a rib engaging pin carried by another of said members between said third member and said secl ond cam member for maintaining predetermined maximum and minimum limits of clearance in the compensator.

10. Inl a compensator, a rst and a second member having opposed cam faces, a power spring between said members urging relative rotation thereof to increase their joint thickness, a third member adjacent said second member and resiliently urged apart from said rst member, key means xing said third member and said rst member against relative rotation whereby said second member is free to rotate under the influence of said power spring to take` up clearance therebetween, control ribs integrally formed in the surface of said third member, and a spring pressed gauge pin carried by said second cam for engaging said control ribs.

11. In a compensator, a master cam, a gauge .cam adjacent thereto anda control washer adj acent said gauge cam, key means for maintaining said master cam and said control washer against relative rotation, preload spring means urging said master cam and said control washer apart, arelatively light spring between said gauge cam and said control washer for transferring all clearance in the compensator therebetween, control ribs formed in the surface of said control Washer, and a spring pressed gauge pin carried by said gauge cam for engagementV with said control ribs.

.12. In a compensator, ka master cam, a gauge cam adjacent thereto and a control washer adjacent said gauge cam, key means for maintaining said master cam and said control washer against relative rotation, preload spring means urging said master cam and said control washer apart,` a relatively light spring between said gauge cam and said control washer for transferring all clearance in the compensatortherebetween, control ribs formed in the surface of said control washer, a spring pressed gauge pin carried by said gauge pin for engagement with said control ribs, and means for limiting the outward travel of said gauge pin, said gauge pin by the amount of projection outwardly of said gauge member determining the amount of clearance possible in said compensator` before rotation of said gauge cam under the influence of said power spring.

CLAYTON E. WYRICK. I 

